'He is still capable,' Mike Tomlin gives huge update on Aaron Rodgers' future with Steelers

Mike Tomlin predicts 42‑year‑old Aaron Rodgers will return to the Steelers in 2026, citing his football obsession and locker‑room pull despite Pittsburgh’s crowded QB room.

Fahad Hamid
April 27, 2026
4 min read

'He is still capable,' Mike Tomlin gives huge update on Aaron Rodgers' future with Steelers — © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers received a major update on the playing future of Aaron Rodgers ahead of the upcoming season. Former head coach Mike Tomlin predicted that the 42-year-old quarterback will indeed strap on the pads and return to the gridiron in 2026.

This revelation carries significant weight for a franchise currently navigating a murky transition period. After a rollercoaster 2025 campaign that saw the four-time MVP team up with Tomlin for a single season, the football world has been holding its breath waiting for Rodgers to make a decision. With minicamps looming and the quarterback still lingering on the free-agent market, any breadcrumbs regarding his intentions immediately become the biggest story in the league.

The candid insight comes directly from a weekend interview on NBC, where Tomlin spoke with new colleague Maria Taylor about his highly anticipated transition to the “Football Night in America” studio desk.

“Man, if you’ve got a gun to my head, I’d say it’s AR,” Tomlin said when pressed on who he expects to be taking snaps under center this fall. “I just think being around him for the 12 months that I was around him, he’s got a love affair with the game of football. And not only the game, but the process, the informal moments, the development of younger guys, the interaction with teammates.”

1. The Allure of the Gridiron

Tomlin didn’t mince words when describing exactly what makes a 42-year-old multi-millionaire with a secured gold jacket want to keep taking hits from 300-pound defensive linemen. According to the legendary coach, the pull of the locker room is simply too strong for Rodgers to ignore right now. “I think he has an addiction to that, and there’s only one way to feed it,” Tomlin added during the broadcast. “Certainly, he is still capable and in really good shape. And so, I think, at the end of the day, he’ll play football.”

2. A Crowded Quarterback Room in Pittsburgh

If Rodgers does decide to feed that football addiction for one more ride, the logistical hurdles in Pittsburgh are suddenly very real. When Tomlin stepped away in January, citing the “loneliness of leadership” and a mutual need for a fresh start, the Steelers front office handed the keys to Mike McCarthy. Ironically, McCarthy is the same man who coached Rodgers to a Super Bowl victory with the Green Bay Packers back in 2011. But McCarthy inherited a roster that didn’t sit on its hands waiting for Rodgers to emerge from his darkness retreats or offseason meditations. General Manager Omar Khan attacked the 2026 NFL Draft, using a third-round selection on former Penn State standout Drew Allar. Add second-year signal-caller Will Howard and the ever-present veteran Mason Rudolph to the mix, and you have a quarterback room bursting at the seams. Yet, if a four-time MVP walks into the facility ready to throw, the depth chart rearranges itself immediately. The rookie sits, the journeymen grab a clipboard, and the offense once again runs through the arm of a future Hall of Famer.

3. The Transition from Sideline to Studio

While the Rodgers drama continues to monopolize the daily sports-talk debate, Tomlin’s transition into the media space is a massive story in its own right. Replacing his mentor, Tony Dungy, on the most-watched studio show in sports is no small task, but Tomlin seems genuinely invigorated by the challenge. “I just thought it’d be a great way to stay connected to the game and the awesome people in it,” Tomlin admitted to Taylor, noting his excitement to travel to different venues without the crushing pressure of a win-loss record hanging over his head. “I got to admit, though, there’s going to be some anxiety about stepping into a new space, but good anxiety. It’s good to be uncomfortable.” For fans accustomed to his legendary press conference one-liners—where he famously declared “I’m fundamentally against comfort”—seeing him break down film on a Sunday night will be a breath of fresh air. For now, the ball is entirely in Rodgers’ court. He famously waited until June last year before committing to his one-year deal with the Steelers, and history seems to be repeating itself in 2026. Until he makes a formal announcement, McCarthy and the Pittsburgh coaching staff must continue installing an offense tailored to a rookie and a group of unproven commodities, all while keeping one eye on the free-agent wire. As for Tomlin, his next chapter begins under the bright studio lights of NBC.